Bas van Fraassen is nearly solely responsible for the initial development of constructive empiricism; its historically most important presentation appears in his The Scientific Image (1980). Constructive empiricism states that scientific theories are semantically literal, that they aim to be empirically adequate, and that their acceptance involves, as belief, only that they are empirically adequate. A theory is empirically adequate if and only if everything that it says about observable entities is true (regardless of what it says about unobservable entities). A theory is semantically literal if and only if the language of the theory is interpreted in such a way that the claims of the theory are either true or false (as opposed to an instrumentalist reading).
Constructive empiricism is thus a normative, semantic and epistemological thesis. That science aims to be empirically adequate expresses the normative component. That scientific theories are semantically literal expresses the semantic component. That acceptance involves, as belief, only that a theory is empirically adequate expresses the epistemological component.
Constructive empiricism opposes scientific realism, logical positivism (or logical empiricism) and instrumentalism. Constructive empiricism and scientific realism agree that theories are semantically literal, which logical positivism and instrumentalism deny. Constructive empiricism, logical positivism and instrumentalism agree that theories do not aim for truth about unobservables, which scientific realism denies.
^Votsis, I. (2004), The Epistemological Status of Scientific Theories: An Investigation of the Structural Realist Account, University of London, London School of Economics, PhD Thesis, p. 39.
^Votsis, I. (2004), The Epistemological Status of Scientific Theories: An Investigation of the Structural Realist Account, University of London, London School of Economics, PhD Thesis, p. 196.
Referencesedit
Van Fraassen, Bas. The Scientific Image. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980. ISBN0-19-824427-4
Godfrey-Smith, Peter Theory and Reality p. 184-186, 234. University of Chicago Press. ISBN0-226-30063-3
Monton, Bradley (ed.), Images of Empiricism: Essays on Science and Stances, with a Reply from Bas C. van Fraassen. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007. ISBN0-19-921884-6.
constructive, empiricism, philosophy, science, constructive, empiricism, form, empiricism, while, sometimes, referred, empiricist, form, structuralism, main, proponent, fraassen, consistently, distinguished, between, views, contents, overview, also, notes, ref. In philosophy of science constructive empiricism is a form of empiricism While it is sometimes referred to as an empiricist form of structuralism its main proponent Bas van Fraassen has consistently distinguished between the two views 1 Contents 1 Overview 2 See also 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksOverview editBas van Fraassen is nearly solely responsible for the initial development of constructive empiricism its historically most important presentation appears in his The Scientific Image 1980 Constructive empiricism states that scientific theories are semantically literal that they aim to be empirically adequate and that their acceptance involves as belief only that they are empirically adequate A theory is empirically adequate if and only if everything that it says about observable entities is true regardless of what it says about unobservable entities A theory is semantically literal if and only if the language of the theory is interpreted in such a way that the claims of the theory are either true or false as opposed to an instrumentalist reading Constructive empiricism is thus a normative semantic and epistemological thesis That science aims to be empirically adequate expresses the normative component That scientific theories are semantically literal expresses the semantic component That acceptance involves as belief only that a theory is empirically adequate expresses the epistemological component Constructive empiricism opposes scientific realism logical positivism or logical empiricism and instrumentalism Constructive empiricism and scientific realism agree that theories are semantically literal which logical positivism and instrumentalism deny Constructive empiricism logical positivism and instrumentalism agree that theories do not aim for truth about unobservables which scientific realism denies Constructive empiricism has been used to analyze various scientific fields from physics to psychology especially computational psychology See also editStructuralism philosophy of science a related view 2 Notes edit Votsis I 2004 The Epistemological Status of Scientific Theories An Investigation of the Structural Realist Account University of London London School of Economics PhD Thesis p 39 Votsis I 2004 The Epistemological Status of Scientific Theories An Investigation of the Structural Realist Account University of London London School of Economics PhD Thesis p 196 References editVan Fraassen Bas The Scientific Image Oxford Oxford University Press 1980 ISBN 0 19 824427 4 Godfrey Smith Peter Theory and Reality p 184 186 234 University of Chicago Press ISBN 0 226 30063 3 Monton Bradley ed Images of Empiricism Essays on Science and Stances with a Reply from Bas C van Fraassen Oxford Oxford University Press 2007 ISBN 0 19 921884 6 External links editZalta Edward N ed Constructive Empiricism Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy In Defense of van Fraassen van Fraassen s website nbsp This philosophy of science related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Constructive empiricism amp oldid 1221103876, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
